WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US demand that the international news agency and radio Sputnik's partner in the country, RIA Global LLC, should register as a "foreign agent" is unacceptable, the Russian embassy said Wednesday.
"We consider this action to be unacceptable. We regard it as yet another attack on the US-Russian relations. We firmly believe that such steps run counter to US interests and hurt its image and authority," the statement read.
"Russia has been resolutely opposing curbs on freedom of the press, including of foreign media and journalists. This is not the case with the US and its allies, who continue their unacceptable practice of pressuring Russian media, instead of mutually beneficial cooperation. It has come to visa revocations, deportations of Russian journalists and increased attempts by foreign intelligence agencies to force them to collaborate," the statement read.
The Russian Embassy has also slammed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other influential rights groups for their lukewarm response.
"We do not rule out that, in line with the existing practice of double standards, these organizations will soon give a harsh response to Russia for its inevitable mirror reaction to the ill-thought-through actions by US authorities," the diplomatic mission concluded.
In the United States, lawmakers and intelligence community claimed that the RT broadcaster and the Sputnik news agency may have been involved in Russia’s alleged attempts to influence 2016 US presidential election. The broadcasters have been put under pressure. RT America had to register as a foreign agent in the United States under the Foreign Agents Registration Act after the request by the US Justice Department. Recently, the department demanded that international news agency and radio Sputnik's partner in the country, RIA Global LLC, should also register under FARA.